NEW ORLEANS—Not every team could lose its No. 1 wide receiver to an injury and keep on ticking. Not every coach would pass on bringing in outside help in that situation. But the Saints and their coach are different.

When Marques Colston suffered a broken collarbone in the season-opening loss to Green Bay 10 days ago, Saints coach Sean Payton didn’t even consider bringing in a receiver from off the street. One reason is because Payton knew that Lance Moore, who missed the Green Bay game with a groin injury, would be back for the home opener against the Bears.

There was another, even bigger reason Payton stayed the course. He loves the receiving corps he has—both its depth and its experience.

“I think he trusts us guys in that receiver room that we’ll step up and get the job done regardless,” Devery Henderson said. “Any time you have a receiver group like that, and he doesn’t have to go out and get anybody, it says a lot about the guys that are there.”

The guys that are there rose to the occasion Sunday in the Superdome, where a chorus line of receivers caught passes from quarterback Drew Brees during a 30-13 victory over Chicago that prevented the Saints from falling into an 0-2 hole for only the second time in the Payton era.

One of these games, we’re going to need two hands to count all the guys who Brees targets in the passing game. As it turned out Sunday, eight fingers were enough. The receivers included Devery Henderson, whose 79-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown gave the Saints the lead for good in the second quarter; to Jimmy Graham, who’s starting to move into the conversation about young, rising tight ends in the league; to running back Darren Sproles, the multiple-dimension triple threat (running, receiving, returning).

Collectively, the eight receivers combined for 26 receptions for 270 yards and three touchdowns (Sproles and Robert Meachem also scored). Others in the Drew-threw-to-me fraternity included Moore, wide receiver Adrian Arrington, running back Pierre Thomas and tight end David Thomas.

“These players we’re talking about have been in the offense and played in big games,” Payton said. “So certainly when you lose a guy like Marques Colston what happens is the other guys step up.”

Saints players stepped up all over the field Sunday. Rookie running back Mark Ingram rushed 14 times for 51 mostly tough yards. Safety Roman Harper and reserve end Junior Galette each sacked Jay Cutler twice (the Bears’ quarterback was dropped six times total and hit on many other plays). Turk McBride sacked Cutler and forced a fumble that New Orleans recovered and converted into a touchdown. And 41-year-old kicker John Kasay kicked three field goals, including a 53-yarder.

The multi-receiver performance was as impressive as anything by the Saints. It proved, once again, that Brees is open-minded when it comes to his cast of catchers. If you can get open, chances are good that he’s going to get you the ball.

“I feel that Drew is so good at finding the open receiver,” said Graham, who caught six passes for 79 yards, including a 31-yarder against the Bears’ vaunted cover 2 defense. “He’s a guy who goes through all of his reads. Even if you’re the fifth read, you have the opportunity to get the ball.”

The other time the Bears struck gold against a cover 2 scheme Sunday was the 79-yard scoring pass to Henderson, which came on a third-and-12 play, immediately after the Bears had sacked Brees for a 6-yard loss.

“That’s kind of one of those third-and-longs that sits in your pocket as a call if it comes up, and it came up early,” Payton said.

Several things merged simultaneously for that long-developing play to work. First, Brees had to get time and protection from his line. Then, Henderson, racing down the middle of the field, had to find his landmark. Finally, Brees had to launch a perfect pass.

Henderson made a nice catch and an even better run as he broke attempted ankle tackles by safeties Major Wright and Chris Conte after the reception. He managed to stay on his feet and cross the goal line for a 10-7 Saints lead.

“You try not to keep that ball in the air too long because their safeties are converging on it,” Brees said. “There’s a lot of trust with that throw. Obviously, I had a lot of trust in Devery.”

Brees isn’t the only one who has a lot of trust in the Saints’ receivers. Payton does too.